top of page

Services

Weight Loss The Right Way

Nutrition & Weight Loss

Obesity is a common, serious, and costly disease and today, it affects more than 40% of adults in the US. In fact, 68% of the United States population is considered either overweight or obese. Obesity is the most prevalent chronic disease in our country, yet most of our physicians lack weight loss and obesity education. Most doctors believe that it all boils down to “calories in versus calories out,” a common misconception. Obesity is a complex and serious condition, a calorie deficit is not the only factor to consider when treating obesity. 

 

Relapse is often seen in obesity patients who are not provided with a proper education on the disease and how to manage it. Obesity is a chronic, multifactorial neurobehavioral disease, wherein the increase of body fat promotes adipose tissue dysfunction and abnormal fat masses to form. These adverse effects often wreak havoc on the metabolic, biochemical and psychological health sequences of the body. Obesity could be caused by a variety of aspects such as physical inactivity and overeating, and/or genetics in some cases.

Unfortunately, studies have shown that there is a societal bias towards obese persons, more than 30% of health care providers believe obesity is solely caused by laziness and lack of self control. This derogatory attitude towards obesity is unacceptable and far from the truth, so we aim to correct these misunderstandings and provide you with the tools needed to combat obesity.

 

At Family Medicine of Merrillville, we believe it is our duty to share our understanding of obesity and how to manage Weight Loss the Right Way. For that reason, we have brought in the best of the best and developed a specialized team of professionals to guide you through your weightloss journey. 

 

To begin, our nutritionist will initiate a consultation to determine all of your dietary needs and create a customized nutritional plan with the ability to tackle all of your weightloss goals. Your wellbeing is our utmost priority, and our goal is to help you create a healthy and sustainable lifestyle. Complications of obesity, include but not limited to:

  • Cardiovascular Disease

  • Sleep Apnea

  • Cataracts

  • Diabetes

  • High Blood Pressure 

  • Stroke

  • Infertility

  • Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS)

  • Liver Disease

  • Cancer

  • Arthritis

  • Gout

In order to prevent the adverse effects of obesity, it is important to understand the inner workings of our bodies. For that reason, our practice is equipped with the latest technology on the market! For example, we can start by measuring your metabolic rate using indirect calorimeter techniques, this tells us how many calories your body burns at rest. We also offer inBody composition analysis to evaluate the body in four components: fat, lean body mass, minerals, and water content. In less than 60 seconds, the InBody device can provide all of the following data:

​

  • Body Composition Analysis: shows total body water, mineral content, lean muscle mass and body fat mass

  • Muscle-Fat Analysis: provides a comparison between weight, skeletal muscle mass, and body fat mass.

  • Obesity Analysis: shows the body mass index (BMI) and body fat percentage relative to body weight.

  • Segmental Lean Analysis: calculates the muscle mass located in the left arm, right arm, trunk, left leg and right leg.

  • Segmental Fat Analysis: calculates the fat mass located in the left arm, right arm, trunk, left leg and right leg.

  • ECW/TBW Analysis: shows how hydrated your body is based on extracellular water content and total body water.

  • Muscle and Fat Control: projects how much fat and muscle mass loss or gain is needed to reach your desired goal.

Basal Metabolic Rate: estimates how many calories you burn every single day without exercising.

For more information on the wonders of inBody technology, check out the “What is a Body Composition Test?” 

 

In some scenarios, weight loss can trigger the release of intense hunger hormones that may slow and/or halt one's progress. These symptoms can easily be offset with anti-obesity medications, so we may also prescribe medications on a case by case basis. 

At our practice, we strive for greatness! We are determined to go the extra mile when it comes to your health and wellbeing. Schedule an appointment online today to get started with your weightloss journey, the right way!

Schedule online. It's easy, fast and secure.

bottom of page